U.S. patent application number 10/457063 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-12 for in-pack inserts.
Invention is credited to Nelson, Donavon D..
Application Number | 20040028864 10/457063 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31498492 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040028864 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nelson, Donavon D. |
February 12, 2004 |
In-pack inserts
Abstract
Disclosed is an in-pack insert that is applied to a package
using an adhesive backed liner. The in-pack insert is placed inside
of a package and viewable through a window or other mechanism of
the package. The insert may be a collectable item such as a
collector card and may have various mechanisms whereby a consumer
may remove the insert without damaging the insert. The in-pack
insert may be assembled using high-speed automated equipment and
applied to the packages at high speeds. Various embodiments of the
insert are disclosed along with methods of manufacture and
application.
Inventors: |
Nelson, Donavon D.;
(Woodbury, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE LAW OFFICES OF WILLIAM W. COCHRAN, LLC
3555 STANFORD ROAD
SUITE 230
FORT COLLINS
CO
80525
US
|
Family ID: |
31498492 |
Appl. No.: |
10/457063 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60387230 |
Jun 6, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/40.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B31B 50/82 20170801;
B31D 1/021 20130101; Y10T 428/14 20150115; B31B 50/83 20170801;
B42C 13/00 20130101; B31B 50/8123 20170801 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/40.1 |
International
Class: |
B32B 009/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for assembling an in-pack insert to the inside of a
package, said package having an inside surface, and outside
surface, and a window formed therein for viewing said insert from
the outside of said package comprising: providing an insert that is
substantially planar and having a viewable side and a back side;
placing said viewable side of said insert against said inside
surface of said package such that at least a portion of said insert
is viewable through said window; providing a film having an
adhesive side, said adhesive side having adhesive covering at least
a portion of said adhesive side; and placing said film onto said
inside surface of said package such that at least a portion of said
adhesive side of said film is adhered to said inside surface of
said package and at least a portion of said adhesive side of said
film is against said back side of said insert to hold the insert in
placed on said inside surface of said package aligned with said
window so that said viewable side of said insert is visible through
said window on said outside of said package.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising assembling said
package.
3. A method for manufacturing an in-pack insert comprising:
providing a carrier web having a release surface; placing an insert
onto said carrier web such that a viewable portion of said insert
is placed against said release surface of said carrier web; placing
an adhesive backed liner over at least a portion of said insert
such that an adhesive backed side of said adhesive backed liner is
placed against said release surface of said carrier web; and
presenting said carrier web such that said adhesive backed liner
may be peeled from said carrier web and placed over a window in a
package such that at least a portion of said viewable surface of
said insert is viewable through a window of said package when
viewed from an external surface of said package.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising partially coating said
adhesive backed side of said adhesive backed liner with
adhesive.
5. The method of claim 3 further comprising partially coating said
adhesive backed side of said adhesive backed liner with pressure
sensitive adhesive.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein said insert is substantially
planar.
7. The method of claim 3 further comprising placing a release film
between said insert and said adhesive backed liner.
8. The method of claim 3 further comprising weakening at least a
portion of said adhesive backed liner whereby a consumer may remove
said insert from said package.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said weakening comprises providing
a tab.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprises placing a zip strip in
contact with said adhesive backed liner in the proximity of said
portion of said adhesive backed liner that is weakened.
11. The method of claim 3 further comprising placing a face sheet
onto said carrier web between said carrier web and said insert,
said face sheet being at least partially transparent.
12. The method of claim 3 further comprising placing a removal tab
against said adhesive backed side of said adhesive backed liner
such that said removal tab is adapted to assist a consumer in
removing said insert from said package.
13. The method of claim 3 further comprising: die cutting at least
said adhesive backed liner such that said carrier web remains in
tact; and removing any excess adhesive backed liner from said
carrier web.
14. A package with an in-pack insert comprising: a package having a
window, an outside surface, and an inside surface, said outside
surface being a viewable surface when said package is assembled; an
insert being substantially planar and having a viewable side and a
back side, said viewable side of said insert being placed against
said inside surface of said package such that at least a portion of
said insert is viewable through said window; a film having an
adhesive side, said adhesive side having adhesive covering at least
a portion of said adhesive side, said film being placed onto said
inside surface of said package such that at least a portion of said
adhesive side of said film is against said inside surface of said
package and at least a portion of said adhesive side of said film
is against said back side of said insert.
15. An in-pack insert comprising: a carrier web having a release
surface; an insert placed onto said carrier web such that a
viewable portion of said insert is placed against said release
surface of said carrier web; an adhesive backed liner placed over
at least a portion of said insert such that an adhesive backed side
of said adhesive backed liner is placed against said release
surface of said carrier web, such that said adhesive backed liner
may be peeled from said carrier web and placed over a window in a
package such that at least a portion of said viewable surface of
said insert is viewable through said window of said package when
viewed from an external surface of said package.
16. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising said adhesive
backed side of said adhesive backed liner being partially coated
with adhesive.
17. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising said adhesive
backed side of said adhesive backed liner being at least partially
coated with pressure sensitive adhesive.
18. The in-pack insert of claim 15 wherein said insert is
substantially planar.
19. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising a release
film between said insert and said adhesive backed liner.
20. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising a weakened
portion of said adhesive backed liner whereby a consumer may remove
said insert from said package.
21. The in-pack insert of claim 20 further comprising a tab portion
of said adhesive backed liner.
22. The in-pack insert of claim 20 further comprising a zip strip
placed in contact with said adhesive backed liner in the proximity
of said portion of said adhesive backed liner that is weakened.
23. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising a face sheet
placed onto said carrier web between said carrier web and said
insert, said face sheet being at least partially transparent.
24. The in-pack insert of claim 15 further comprising a removal tab
placed against said adhesive backed side of said adhesive backed
liner such that said removal tab is adapted to assist a consumer in
removing said insert from said package.
25. An in-pack insert comprising: a first means for visually
enhancing a package; a second means for releasably carrying and
presenting said first means; and a third means for entrapping said
first means to an inside surface of said package such that said
second means is viewable through a window in said package.
26. The in-pack insert of claim 25 wherein said third means
comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.
27. The in-pack insert of claim 26 wherein said third means
comprises a plurality of laminates.
28. The in-pack insert of claim 27 wherein said third means
comprises a means for enabling a consumer to remove said first
means from said package.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based upon and claims the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/387,230 by
Donavon D. Nelson, entitled "In-Pack Inserts" filed Jun. 6, 2002,
the entire contents of which is hereby specifically incorporated by
reference for all it discloses and teaches.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] a. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention pertains generally to packaging and
more specifically to in-pack inserts for packaging.
[0004] b. Description of the Background
[0005] Packaging for consumer products is an important vehicle for
promoting a product and affecting a consumer's decision to purchase
one product over another. The more eye-catching a package is, the
more likely a consumer will consider purchasing the product and
thus sales may be increased.
[0006] Promotions and special offers, such as premiums, coupons,
and other articles may be attached to the packaging to encourage
the purchase of the product. Premiums that are mounted on the
outside of the package are prone to damage and pilferage. In some
cases, instructional booklets or other items necessary for the
proper operation or function of the product may be attached to the
packaging.
[0007] Some promoters have placed premiums inside the packaging and
have used graphics on the outside of the package to indicate the
presence of the premium and describe the premium. Other promoters
have displayed a portion of the premium through a window or hole in
the packaging. In general, these promoters have used a hot melt
glue to attach the premium to the inside of the packaging. The hot
melt glue has several manufacturing and functioning difficulties.
For example, during the period when the hot glue is cooling, the
premium may move. Other problems are that the glue may sometimes be
messy to handle and cause blemishes on the insert or the
package.
[0008] The speed of the hot glue process is limited. The maximum
rate possible may be on the order of 10,000 parts per hour. The
speed limitation adds to the cost of the assembled package and may
be a limiting factor in the ability for a supplier to respond to an
order.
[0009] It would therefore be advantageous to provide a device and
method of adding an in-pack article that is cost effective and high
speed. It would be further advantageous for the device and method
to accommodate various forms of inserts and items and various
methods of enabling a consumer to retrieve the premium from the
packaging.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and
limitations of the prior art by providing an in-pack insert that
may be manufactured and applied at high speeds. The speed of the
application process is much higher than the prior art with improved
registration and cleanliness. Further, the present invention
affords the promoter a wide latitude of options for the inclusion
of premiums into packages, and different methods for the consumer
to retrieve a premium from the package.
[0011] The present invention may therefore comprise a method for
assembling an in-pack insert to the inside of a package, the
package having an inside surface, and outside surface, and a window
formed therein for viewing the insert from the outside of the
package comprising: providing an insert that is substantially
planar and having a viewable side and a back side; placing the
viewable side of the insert against the inside surface of the
package such that at least a portion of the insert is viewable
through the window; providing a film having an adhesive side, the
adhesive side having adhesive covering at least a portion of the
adhesive side; and placing the film onto the inside surface of the
package such that at least a portion of the adhesive side of the
film is adhered to the inside surface of the package and at least a
portion of the adhesive side of the film is against the back side
of the insert to hold the insert in placed on the inside surface of
the package aligned with the window so that the viewable side of
the insert is visible through the window on the outside of the
package.
[0012] The present invention may further comprise a method for
manufacturing an in-pack insert comprising: providing a carrier web
having a release surface; placing an insert onto the carrier web
such that a viewable portion of the insert is placed against the
release surface of the carrier web; placing an adhesive backed
liner over at least a portion of the insert such that an adhesive
backed side of the adhesive backed liner is placed against the
release surface of the carrier web; and presenting the carrier web
such that the adhesive backed liner may be peeled from the carrier
web and placed over a window in a package such that at least a
portion of the viewable surface of the insert is viewable through a
window of the package when viewed from an external surface of the
package.
[0013] The present invention may further comprise a package with an
in-pack insert comprising: a package having a window, an outside
surface, and an inside surface, the outside surface being a
viewable surface when the package is assembled; an insert being
substantially planar and having a viewable side and a back side,
the viewable side of the insert being placed against the inside
surface of the package such that at least a portion of the insert
is viewable through the window; a film having an adhesive side, the
adhesive side having adhesive covering at least a portion of the
adhesive side, the film being placed onto the inside surface of the
package such that at least a portion of the adhesive side of the
film is against the inside surface of the package and at least a
portion of the adhesive side of the film is against the back side
of the insert.
[0014] The present invention may further comprise an in-pack insert
comprising: a carrier web having a release surface; an insert
placed onto the carrier web such that a viewable portion of the
insert is placed against the release surface of the carrier web; an
adhesive backed liner placed over at least a portion of the insert
such that an adhesive backed side of the adhesive backed liner is
placed against the release surface of the carrier web, such that
the adhesive backed liner may be peeled from the carrier web and
placed over a window in a package such that at least a portion of
the viewable surface of the insert is viewable through the window
of the package when viewed from an external surface of the
package.
[0015] The present invention may further comprise an in-pack insert
comprising: a first means for visually enhancing a package; a
second means for releasably carrying and presenting the first
means; and a third means for entrapping the first means to an
inside surface of the package such that the second means is
viewable through a window in the package.
[0016] The advantages of the present invention are that in-pack
inserts may be manufactured and applied at very high speeds.
Further, the inserts may be applied without the manufacturing
difficulties and mess of the prior art. The various embodiments of
the present invention afford the promoter a large range of options
for including items into in pack inserts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the drawings,
[0018] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing a box that has a window through which a premium
is visible.
[0019] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing a fan-folded liner having many in-pack items
attached.
[0020] FIG. 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing an in-pack item being placed on an unfolded
carton.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing a collectable sports card applied as an in-pack
premium.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of embodiment of FIG.
4.
[0023] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing an embroidered patch captured between a face
sheet and an optional interior release sheet.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.
6.
[0025] FIG. 8 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing a zip out release mechanism that allows a
consumer to easily remove a premium from a package insert.
[0026] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.
8.
[0027] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a first embodiment of the
present invention showing a method of producing an in-pack
insert.
[0028] FIG. 11 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention showing a second method of producing an in-pack
insert.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment 100 of the present
invention showing a box 102 that has a window cut out 104 through
which a premium 106 is visible. The unfolded box 108 has a window
110. A premium 112 is assembled to the unfolded box 108 by an
adhesive backed film 114.
[0030] The embodiment 100 securely holds an in-pack item, such as
premium 106, in a manner that is visible from the exterior of the
package. The premium 106 is secured such that it is unlikely to be
damaged or pilfered and thusly enhances the consumer appeal of the
product.
[0031] The premium 106 may be many different types of articles. The
premium 106 may be a permanently attached advertising related item,
a removable redemption item, a removable premium, an instructional
booklet, an item to be incorporated into the use of the main
product, or any other item as may be envisioned.
[0032] For example, the premium 106 may be a lenticular or
holographic image. In other cases, the premium 106 may be foil
printed or have other bright, eye catching features. Such features
may be very expensive to produce on an entire box or carton and
thus the premium 106 may be a lower cost way to produce a box with
an eye catching feature. The use of a specialized advertising
in-pack insert may be done for a short promotional period, or as a
standard feature of a package for a particular product.
[0033] In another example, the premium 106 may be a removable
redemption item. The premium 106 may be a coupon, game piece,
credit card, or other item. Such items may be removable by the
consumer only after the purchase of the package. Such items may
include phone cards, redemption cards for purchases at a particular
store, a computer disk with software, and other such devices. The
premium 106 may be a printed paper label or may be a printed and
embossed plastic card.
[0034] In another example, the premium 106 may be a removable
premium. The premium 106 may be a collectable sports card, a woven
patch, a metal token, a plastic toy, a music CD, or any other
premium as may be desired.
[0035] In yet another example, the premium 106 may be an item that
is incorporated into the operation of the main product. For
example, the premium 106 may be hardware such as screws and nuts
that are used to assemble the product inside the packaging. In
other examples, the premium 106 may be a packet of lemon juice for
incorporation into a liquid beverage, a packet of lubricant for a
hardware item, or any other item as may be envisioned.
[0036] The adhesive backed film 112 may permanently mount the
premium 110 into the package 108. In such cases, adhesive may
completely cover the surface of the film that bonds to the premium
110 and package 108. The film 112 may be transparent or opaque and
may be selected for strength and durability.
[0037] The adhesive backed film 112 may mount the premium 110 to
facilitate the removal of the premium 110 from the inside of the
package 108. In such embodiments, adhesive backed film 112 may have
adhesive selectively placed on specific portions of the film. In
some cases, perforations or other mechanical release mechanisms may
be incorporated into the adhesive backed film 112.
[0038] The package 108 may be constructed of paperboard, cardboard,
or other fiber based product. In some cases, the package 108 may be
a plastic product such as plastic film or sheet. In still other
cases, the package 108 may be a laminate of plastic and fiber based
products. In the cases where the package material may be
transparent, the window 114 may be produced by selectively not
printing over the area. In cases where the package material is
opaque, the window 114 may be produced by cutting a hole in the
packaging.
[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment 200 of the present
invention showing a fan-folded liner 202 that has many in-pack
items 204 attached. The in-pack items may comprise a premium 206, a
protective film 208, and an adhesive backed film 210. Other
configurations of the in-pack items 204 will be discussed
hereinafter.
[0040] The embodiment 200 is a configuration for the presentation
and placement of in-pack items 204 that is readily adapted to
conventional label placement machines. The fan-folded liner 202
allows the tail 212 to be attached to another fan-folded liner for
continuous feed into automated placement machines. In other
configurations, the liner 202 may be presented on a roll.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment 300 of the present
invention showing an in-pack item 302 that is being placed on an
unfolded carton 304. The carton 304 may be presented on a conveyor
line or other material handling equipment not shown. The in-pack
item 302 is presented on a release liner 306. The in-pack item 302
is peeled off of the release liner 306 by the release liner 306
being pulled around a small radius peel edge 308. As the release
liner 306 is advanced, the in-pack item 302 is advanced towards the
carton 304.
[0042] U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,214 issued Jul. 11, 1999 to Timothy
Klein and Craig Bakken ("Klein") describes an apparatus that is
suitable for the automated placement of in-pack items 302. Klein is
hereby specifically incorporated herein by reference for all it
discloses and teaches.
[0043] The embodiment 300 allows the repeated placement of inserts
onto unfolded cartons at rates over 50,000 per hour. The speed is
possible by the accuracy of presenting the inserts on a release
liner 306. The method of peeling an insert off of a release liner
and instantly applying the insert onto the package prohibits the
insert from shifting. Further, the available technologies for
controlling the placement of the insert are much more accurate than
the prior art of attaching inserts with hot melt glue.
[0044] The presentation of the inserts on a release liner can be
operated on a continuous basis. Fan-folded stacks of inserts may be
connected to each other so that a placement machine may have a
continuous supply of labels. Such a system allows an operator to
periodically supply inserts to a placement machine while the
machine is fully operational.
[0045] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment 400 of the present
invention showing a collectable sports card 402 that is applied as
an in-pack premium. The sports card 402 is protected with removable
protective film layers 404 and 406. The sports card 402 is attached
with a backing 408. The backing 408 is coated with adhesive on the
surface of the backing that faces the premium. A tab 410 may be
placed on the corner of the backing 408 to facilitate removal of
the backing 408 by the end consumer.
[0046] The adhesive backed liner 408 is outfitted with a tab 410
for ease of removal. The tab 410 may not have adhesive present on
the face that is in contact with the package, allowing the consumer
to easily grasp the backing and remove the sports card 402. The
adhesive backed liner 408 may be strong enough so that the consumer
may remove the entire adhesive backed liner 408 with one pull. In
some embodiments, the adhesive backed liner 408 may be adapted to
tear in a preferential direction, such as with a notch or
perforations. In other embodiments, the adhesive backed liner 408
may have a preferential direction for tearing, wherein the liner
408 may be substantially stronger in one direction than in a
second.
[0047] The construction of tab 410 may be a separate piece of
pre-printed material that is applied to the assembly. In another
embodiment, the tab 410 may be manufactured by pre-printing or
selectively applying adhesive to the liner 408. Such an embodiment
may eliminate the protective film layer 406 since the liner 408 may
serve the protective purpose of the protective film layer 406 while
not adhering to the card 402 during removal.
[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of embodiment 400 of FIG.
4. The packaging 514 has a cut out window 516. The first protective
film 518, sports card 520, and second protective film 522 are held
in place by an adhesive backed liner 524.
[0049] The embodiment 400 allows a collectible sports card 520 to
be displayed in a package for the consumer. An outside layer of
protective film 518 protects the card 520 from damage due to
handling of the package. An inner layer of protective film 522
protects the sports card 520 from damage when the adhesive backed
liner 524 is peeled off of the assembly.
[0050] The card 520 is held inside the package 514 by having a
portion of the package 514 overlap the card 520. The overlap causes
the card 520 to remain securely in the package 514 and is therefore
less prone to pilferage. In addition, the card 520 is set back from
the outer face of the package 514 such that the card 520 is less
likely to be abraded or scuffed during shipping and handling. In
other embodiments, the card 520 may overlap the package 514 around
the entire perimeter, in certain portions of the perimeter, or not
at all.
[0051] The protective film 518 protects the surface of the card 520
from damage from the exterior of the package. The film 518 may have
a very light adhesive or may be attached with static attraction
such that the film 518 may be removed without damaging the surface
of the card 520. The film 522 protects the card 520 from any
adverse effects of the adhesive from the adhesive backed liner 524.
The present embodiment 400 may be applicable to highly collectable
cards or other premium or item where the pristine quality of the
item is highly valued.
[0052] In an alternative embodiment, either or both of the layers
of protective film 518 and 522 may be replaced by a varnish or
other protective finish to the sports card 520. In some cases, an
applied varnish may serve as a release agent wherein the adhesive
from the adhesive backed liner 524 may not adhere or at least be
readily removed.
[0053] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment 600 of the present
invention showing an embroidered patch 602 that is captured between
a face sheet 604 and an optional interior release sheet 606. The
patch 602 and sheets 604 and 606 are secured to the inside of a
package with an adhesive backed liner 608.
[0054] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section view of embodiment 600 of
the present invention, comprising the package 712, a window cut out
714, a face sheet 716, a patch 718, optional interior sheet 720,
and adhesive backed liner 722.
[0055] The patch 602 may be an embroidered patch, a metal ornament,
plastic toy, or any other non-printed object that may be desired.
Other examples include screws, nuts, tools, or other assembly
hardware for use with the product inside the package.
[0056] The optional interior release sheet 606 may be a preprinted
backing sheet that is opaque. The sheet 606 may be present to
prevent the patch 602 from becoming adhered to the adhesive of the
adhesive backed liner 608.
[0057] The face sheet 604 may be selected to have a light adhesive
on the interior face, that is, the face that is in contact with the
patch 602. The light adhesive may be present to aid the manufacture
of the embodiment 600 and keep the patch 602 from shifting in
position after being placed onto the face sheet 604. The face sheet
604 may be transparent, opaque, or partially transparent. The face
sheet 604 may be preprinted on the inside, outside, or both sides
to highlight the patch 602.
[0058] The interior release sheet 720 may be smaller in size than
the front sheet 716, allowing a portion of adhesive backed liner
722 to contact the front sheet 716 in the areas 724 and 726. In
other embodiments, an adhesive on the interior side of the front
sheet 716 may secure interior release sheet 720 to front sheet
716.
[0059] Adhesive backed liner 722 may be opaque. Liner 722 may be
pre-printed and may thereby eliminate the need for interior release
sheet 720.
[0060] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment 800 of the present
invention showing a zip out release mechanism that allows a
consumer to easily remove a premium from a package insert. The
insert assembly 802 is mounted to the inside surface 804 of a
package 806. Only a portion of the package 806 is shown for
clarity. An optional zip strip 808 is mounted between two lines of
perforations 810 and 812. When the zip strip 808 is torn, the
premium 814 may be removed by the consumer.
[0061] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of embodiment 800 of the
present invention showing the package 918, a window cut out 920, a
front sheet 922, the premium 924, a rear sheet 926, adhesive coated
backing 928, and the zip strip 930.
[0062] The consumer may easily remove the premium 814 from the
package 802 by tearing the adhesive coated backing along the
perforation lines 810 and 812. The cutouts 816 and 818 may form a
tab so that a consumer may grasp the zip strip 808 and pull
downwards. In some embodiments, adhesive may be omitted between the
perforation lines 810 and 812 to aid in removal of the zip strip.
The zip strip 808 may be a string or plastic strip that increases
the strength of the material between the perforation lines 810 and
812, allowing the material to be cleanly removed.
[0063] The premium 924 may be mounted between an outer sheet 922
and an inner sheet 926. The outer sheet 922 serves to protect the
premium 924 from damage while the package is being handled. The
outer sheet 922 may assist in guiding the premium 924 as it is slid
out of the assembly.
[0064] In cases where adhesive may be selectively applied to the
backing 928, the inner sheet 926 may be optionally omitted if
adhesive is not present between the backing 928 and the premium
924. The inner sheet 926 may be printed with instructions facing
the inside of the package 918 to instruct the consumer on the
procedure for removing the premium or other printed matter.
[0065] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment 1000 of the present
invention showing a first method of producing an in-pack insert.
Production of the in-pack insert proceeds from left to right in the
figure. A release liner 1002 is presented on a feed roll 1004. The
inserts 1006 are placed on the liner 1002 and a film 1008 with
pressure sensitive adhesive is placed over the inserts 1006. Two
nip rollers 1010 and 1012 press the pressure sensitive adhesive to
the liner 1002 and the inserts 1006. A die cutter 1014 cuts the
perimeter of the inserts 1006 and the waste material 1016 is
removed. The liner 1002 is then fan folded 1018.
[0066] FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment 1100 of the present
invention showing a second method of producing an in-pack insert.
Production of the in-pack insert proceeds from left to right in the
figure. A release liner 1102 and film 1104 with pressure sensitive
adhesive is supplied in a roll 1106. The release liner 1102 and
film 1104 are split at a separation point 1108. An insert 1110 is
placed between the liner 1102 and film 1104 and squeezed together
with nip rollers 1112 and 1114. A die cutter 1116 cuts the
perimeter of the adhesive film 1104 and removes the waste 1118. The
liner 1102 is then fan folded 1120.
[0067] The foregoing description of the invention has been
presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise
form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be
possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen
and described in order to best explain the principles of the
invention and its practical application to thereby enable others
skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various
embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended
claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the
invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.
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